Networking in nursing serves as a foundation for nurses to achieve great things. From mentorship and job opportunities to a safety net and support system, the importance of networking in nursing cannot be overstated. Nursing students can find networking opportunities during clinical rotations, conferences and online.
Personal and professional success often lies in the connections we build. In a spider’s web, each thread creates a strong, supportive structure. This is how networking in nursing is built.
Whether you are a new grad looking for your first job or an experienced nurse seeking advancement, your professional network can support your growth, provide a safety net when challenges arise and help you find new opportunities. According to a Cornell post-graduate survey, over 20% of graduates found employment through their professional network.
At Averett University, our Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program allows students with a non-nursing bachelor’s degree or 60 non-nursing credits to launch their nursing careers by earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) in as few as 16 months. Starting from their first semester, students participate in clinical rotations in which they gain real-world patient care experience and the chance to network with healthcare professionals throughout the Norfolk, Virginia, area.
Let’s explore how building your professional nursing network while in nursing school can help you survive, thrive and strengthen the nursing profession.
The Importance of Networking in Nursing: Past, Present, and Future
While spiderwebs may only last a few weeks, the connections built through nurse networking can last a lifetime. Every professional connection you make has the potential to support you and grow your career.
Networking for nurses creates a support system you can lean on throughout your career, leads to advancement or other career opportunities, fosters mentor-mentee relationships and keeps you updated on the latest nursing advances and trends.
Networking is especially important for nursing students. As a student, you are preparing to enter a field in which you likely have few to no professional connections. By using your time wisely during clinical rotations, you can forge connections with other healthcare professionals. These connections can help you land your first job outside of school, provide professional advice or serve as a professional reference.
As you progress through nursing clinicals, remain courteous, professional and eager to learn. These qualities can help you stand out from your peers and improve your networking abilities.
Let’s explore some of the networks you may already have, investigate how to build new ones and identify how to make them last.
Pulling from Past Connections
Spending some time looking at the people in your past who may have influenced your choice to pursue a career in nursing can be a good start to building a nurse networking foundation.
Maybe you had a visit to the emergency room and met a kind and patient nurse who happens to live down the street from you. Maybe one of your childhood friends’ parents was a nurse, and you’ve been meaning to reconnect.
There are numerous connection points in your life that may have led you to where you are now. Do not hesitate to reach out to those who have supported you in the past and share with them your new and exciting career path.
Fostering Present Connections
As you begin your nursing journey, your time in nursing school can and should be incredibly formative for your professional career. You’re sure to find some nurses and colleagues who have a skill or trait that you would like to learn or emulate. By keeping them in your circle, they can be a friendly face or offer a helping hand when things get tough.
Once you begin nursing school clinicals, think about the nurses, doctors, and staff you meet and the strong connections you make. These individuals and groups can have a significant impact well into your nursing career. You might call on them for a personal reference when interviewing for jobs, or you might be the first person they think of when a new job opens. Without these connections, you might not have otherwise known about these opportunities.
Learn how to excel in nursing clinicals with these 8 nursing clinical tips.
Nurturing Professional Networks for the Future
The network you build as a nursing student can help you beyond the initial preceptor-preceptee relationship. These connections can help with your next promotion, a job change, or enrolling in graduate degree programs. You never know when your career paths might cross again, and a strong recommendation from a respected professional can go a long way.
It may not be apparent at the time, but those who have worked closely with you will be among your best resources much later in your career. Because of the importance of networking in nursing, always be courteous and professional and take time to catch up when your careers take you on different paths. Professional networks last when they’re genuine.
How to Build a Professional Network for Nurses
As you embark on your nursing journey, be on the hunt for opportunities for professional networking and chances to build your reputation along the way. Let’s look at some of the many ways you can build your nursing network.
Mentorship
To understand the value of mentorship to networking in nursing, consider the two types of mentorship: informal and formal.
Informal mentorship in nursing occurs naturally when an experienced healthcare professional, such as another nurse, classmate or professor, offers guidance and support to less experienced colleagues without a structured program having to be in place.
This type of mentorship is flexible, relationship-driven and often based on shared interests. Advice and encouragement are given in everyday interactions, fostering a supportive environment for continuous learning and personal growth.
Formal mentorship in nursing is structured, often provided by healthcare institutions or nursing schools, and has clearly defined roles and mutual goals. This type of mentorship often involves specific objectives, evaluations of performance or skills, and periodic check-ins to ensure that the mentor provides adequate guidance and skill development to the mentee, enhancing both the mentee’s clinical competence and their leadership potential in a more systematic manner.
The mentor/mentee relationship has many benefits for all parties: nurses, patients and organizations. Read more to learn about mentorship in nursing.
Volunteer Work
Student nurses are often a great asset to volunteer organizations, as they have many skills to offer. Networking for nurses through volunteering gives you extra opportunities to practice your interpersonal and assessment skills with real people while meeting healthcare professionals.
Look into local health fairs, organizations like the Red Cross, or competitive running races, which often seek volunteers in their first-aid and medical tents. Any connection has the potential to help strengthen your nurse networking channels.
Professional Organizations or Conferences
Professional organizations are a great way to connect with nurses from widely varying backgrounds, specialties and experiences. The American Nurses Association has both national and state-based nursing communities with which you can connect.
To learn more about professional conferences, search for organizations and associations that serve a specific nursing specialty that interests you, such as the Society of Pediatric Nurses or the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses. Most specialty organizations hold annual conferences, in-person and now virtually, and usually offer special discounted rates for members and student nurses.
Student organizations, such as the National Student Nurses Association, are a great way to build a close network of nursing students who are experiencing the same struggles and joys of nursing school as you.
Once you graduate from nursing school, you might find that alumni nursing networks help keep that nursing spark alive well into your career. If your school does not have an alumni network, consider starting one with your nursing cohort. What better way to stay in touch after graduation with those who walked the path with you?
Connect Online
Many platforms facilitating professional networking for nurses, and other nursing-specific platforms, can help you connect with local, national and even international nurses. Most professional nursing organizations offer ways for their members to connect online. AllNurses is another online platform with nursing forums for different specialty groups, including student nurses, as well as a resource library.
Another online platform to consider for nursing network building is LinkedIn. It is the largest professional networking platform online and it’s increasingly being used by healthcare recruiters to find top nursing talent for their organizations. Check out their jobs board when you are ready to start your nursing job search.
In nursing, the connections you build with other nurses and professionals can be as lifesaving as the care you provide. The strength of your professional network in nursing is vital to your success. A well-woven network helps you catch career opportunities and creates a support system that can guide you through the challenges that arise in nursing.
Averett's Support for Networking in Nursing: Cast Your Web Wide
By being intentional in building and maintaining your professional network in nursing, you are advancing your career and contributing to a more connected, collaborative nursing community. Each connection you make, whether through colleagues, mentors, or online communities, serves as a thread that adds resilience, support, and opportunity. Like the spider, keep weaving, strengthening, and expanding your web.
Averett University's ABSN program could be the first step in the right direction for your nursing career. At Averett University, we are committed to supporting students in building a strong professional network and discovering the importance of networking in nursing from the start. Our clinical rotations throughout the Norfolk area provide opportunities to connect with professionals in a variety of facilities and nursing specialties.
With three start dates a year and no waitlist, if you meet our admissions requirements, you can start working toward your nursing degree sooner than you may think. Contact our admissions advisors today to learn how the ABSN program can launch your nursing career.